Surgery day

8:50
We're walking over to admitting and getting signed in.

10:00
Waiting for everything to get started. This waiting room is fureezing!

11:00
Judi is doing great, laughing with other patients and listening to their stories. She's such a good listener - never interrupting, never a story-topper (unlike me - but I'm working on that).

Everyone is here for approximately the same reason I am - someone they love is getting surgery. I'm glad you're all praying - I'm a little distracted.

11:30
We're on our way to surgery. She's being wheeled out one side of the elevator, I'm sent to wait on the other. I'm going to be here for a few hours, but I'm not alone - I know you're here with me.

12:00
I'm doing some coding that would be a back-burner project forever if I didn't "just do it".

Work is a good distraction for me today.

12:35
I spent a few minutes with Judi. She had stents put in her urinary tracts to ensure that they would show up well and not get nicked by the surgeon. I just met the surgeon, and she seems to be a very nice no-nonsense kind of lady. The CT scan showed some kind of spot (inconclusive?) on Judi's liver.

The doctor will try to take a peek if she can? or maybe she was saying she wasn't - as it would involve a long incision. Other than one spot on the liver, there was nothing else on the CT scan.

She's going in to surgery now.

I'm in the family waiting waiting waiting room.

There's like a silent camaraderie in here. We hear each others' stories and doctors reports. There's no need for secrecy.

1:35
Not much change. Shift change for volunteers, so I've now met Janet. The surgeon will come out and talk with me when she's done, but that won't be for another two hours.

3:20
The surgeon came out to talk with me. That means the surgery is done, but Judi will still be asleep for up to two hours.

The surgeon felt the liver, and said that the lumps are deep. Her lymph nodes are also enlarged.

Judi will have another CT scan before she leaves the hospital. The surgeon (sorry, I keep calling her that to protect her anonymity) mentioned chemotherapy and that since Judi is young the chemo will be aggressive.

The tumor has been sent for pathology, and that will also indicate the level and type of chemo.

4:00
Calling - no answer at home, let my mom know, left a message for Judi's mom. Just got a call back from Becca - they left the phone off the hook by mistake at home :-)
Now I'm waiting for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.

4:45
Going to the room. Judi is opening her eyes, but choosing to sleep.
I was talking with Judi's neighbour - she has a son and daughter, methodical son, artistic and musical daughter. It's like a 10 year older version of our kids. Interesting similarities in our kids.

7:35
Calls from moms and friends. Judi's not up to talking yet - really sleepy, some pain, and a really dry mouth. She may not get to drink through her mouth until Wednesday! All her fluids are through the IV.

I'm going to get kicked out of here soon.

It's hard to leave, I want to be sure she's ok. I don't want to go home without her. Once again, we do what we have to do.

God bless you,

Rick